Hand sack paddle apparatus

ABSTRACT

A paddle for playing with a hand sack includes a generally flat body sized and shaped to fit on a hand and one or more straps for securing the body to a person&#39;s hand with a flat surface of the body being oriented upward to allow a person to manipulate a hand sack without touching it with the palm. The top surface is treated or provided with an insert that increases the friction between the sack and the paddle to facilitate the hand sack manipulation.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/590,673 filed Jan. 25, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The present applications relates in general to a paddle for a sport activity in which players may only use only back side of their hands or their feet to toss, catch, and kick a hand sack. More specifically, a handle is presented that includes a top having a friction layer and adapted to manipulate a hand sack, and a bottom surface with one or more supports for attachment to the top of the hand. (In this application, the term “top of the hand” is used to refer to the portion of the hand opposite the palm).

B. Description of Prior Art

The hand sack gaming industry typically pertains to objects used to play various games, said objects having a free form created by making a sack from cloth and filled with sand or other similar material. The sacks are sized and shaped to fit in the palm of a player and are generally referred to as hand sacks. They are available, for example, from Myachi Industries Corporation of New York. A player may be using his or her bare hand to catch and return the hand sack to either the same player or another player. U.S. Pat. No. D409,699 describes such a hand sack. There are thousands of different tricks to perform and ways to manipulate the hand sack using one's hands, feet, knees, elbows, and all other parts of one's body. However in one sports activity, players may only use the back side or top of their hands, i.e. top of the hand, to toss and catch the hand sack. Players are not allowed to hit or strike the sack and at no time are players permitted to use the palm side of their hands.

A sack may be used by one player alone or with a group. In addition to learning and performing the tricks, there are also numerous games that have been developed to give players many different ways to play with and compete against others.

However, since the back of a hand only has a certain amount of surface area and friction and is not well suited for catching and throwing hand sacks, there has been a need for a hand or foot attachment to allow players to have a greater ability in catching and returning a hand sack. Not only does more surface area and friction enable both children and adults to catch a hand sack virtually every time, but it will also give advanced players the ability to take the game to an even more competitive level of play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a paddle that is specifically designed to complement the hand sack and provide hand sack players a larger surface area on the back of their hands in order to play the game more competitively, in a manner somewhat similar to the manner in which a ball is handled using a lacrosse stick, although without the net.

When wearing a hand sack paddle on the back of one's hand, a player can catch a hand sack, throw it harder, faster, and from much greater distances and heights as well as successfully perform more difficult tricks rather than when attempting the same feat bare handed.

Briefly, the paddle constructed in accordance with this invention includes a relative flat, hand-shaped and sized body having a top concave surface. The top surface is arranged and constructed for manipulating a hand sack without touching it with the palm. Securing straps are provided that engage one or more of the fingers and the wrist and attach the paddle to the hand,

The top surface may be provided with an insert made of a material selected to increase friction between the hand sack and the paddle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-described and other advantages and features of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following description and drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an orthogonal view of a known hand sack;

FIGS. 2A-F show a front, side, top, back, bottom and cross sectional views, respectively, of a paddle constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a friction inlay embedded in the top surface of the paddle of FIGS. 2A-2F;

FIG. 4 shows a paddle used to hold a hand sack;

FIGS. 5A and 5B show the back of the paddle as it is being held by a left hand and a right hand, respectively;

FIG. 6 shows how a hand sack is held in a lotus position on a bare hand; and

FIGS. 7A-7D show how the paddle is attached to a right hand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a known hand sack HS as described, for example, in U.S. Design Pat. No. D409,699. In the remaining figures, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a hand sack paddle apparatus.

Referring first to FIGS. 2A-2F, a hand sack paddle 12 includes many details and individual parts involved to form the finished product. These details cooperate to provide a unique ambidextrous design that allows for the hand sack paddle to be worn on either the right or left hand, sized and shaped so that one size would fit the hand of virtually anyone 5 years old or older.

The paddle 10 includes a base or main body 12 made of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, preferably by molding. Other thermoplastic polymers such as Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), foam, and other raw materials may also be used instead of ABS. In one embodiment, the main body 12 is formed of a top and a bottom plate 12A, 12B that are sonically welded together along a seam line 14 to create the integral base 12. Alternatively, the two plates 12A, 12B may also be glued or screwed together. The hand sack paddle may also be manufactured as a one piece blow mold or one or more pieces of foam. The base 12 is somewhat disk shaped with a straight side adjacent to the wrist and being larger than a person's hand by about ½-1″. The base 12 is rigid so that it does not bend or flex while it is used to catch or through a hand sack.

The base 12 is provided with a first set of holes 20 as well as lateral channels 16 on each side which provide an aerodynamic design to increase players hand speed by reducing wind drag resistance. Other patterns may be used so as to further improve the aerodynamics. Conversely, the holes may be removed when produced from other substrates.

Base 12 has a top surface 18 that includes a flat portion 30 disposed near the wrist of the player, and the remaining portion 32 has a smooth curved profile to form a cup-shaped or concave cavity 34 sized and shaped to receive the hand sack HS, as illustrated in FIG. 2F. Preferably the concave portion 32 has a smaller radius of curvature near the flat portion 30 and a larger radius of curvature distal from the wrist, as at 32B. The portion of the base 12 forming the indentation is relatively thin and has a constant thickness of about 0.13″.

The top surface 18 is shaped to form an indentation 26. The indentation 26 shown in the figure has a flame-shaped pattern. An insert 28 is sized and shaped to fit into the indentation and filled it completely so that the surface 18 is smooth and even. The insert, shown in detail in FIG. 3, is made of a high-friction material to engage the sack HS and prevent it from slipping sideways as the player attempts to catch or throw it. Preferably, insert 28 is made of a PVC rubber material, In this application, the PVC is inserted in between the top plate 12A and bottom plate 12B and secured in place when they are sonically welded together. The flame pattern itself is aesthetic, and may have a different color than the base 12. Importantly, the indentation 26 and complementary insert 28 are sculpted in the base 12 so that they extend substantially across the width and the length thereof and form a full coverage of the paddle with a high-friction surface. The insert 28 thus creates the friction necessary to prevent the hand sack from sliding off the paddle 10 upon contact with the hand sack HS when catching, throwing, or performing tricks. This is a vital function that contributes to the paddle's overall success. The flame pattern of the insert 28 may be changed. In addition, the insert 28 may be made of materials other than PVC such as Kraton, Santoprene™, thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV). Alternatively, a grip tape may be used instead. The insert 28 may also be textured with textured pattern embedded in the top of base 12 to define a frictional layer that increases friction between the paddle and the hand sack.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, surface 18 and especially its concave portion 32 is designed to define the wide, flat, and smooth open mouth design allows players to scoop the hand sack HS off of grass and other surfaces like a lacrosse player would. This effect is further enhanced by providing, the base 12 a front edge 36 that is wedge shaped to make it easier to pick up the hand sack HS. The cavity 32 is designed without a raised element near edge 36 to better allow the hand sack HS to come off the paddle 10 unimpeded when tossing to another player.

In addition to the top surface of insert 18 creating friction, the curvature of the paddle (e.g., cavity 34) and the raised outer walls 12 around the remaining perimeter of the paddle provide an additional measure to further prevent the hand sack from sliding off the sides or portion 30 of the surface 30 when catching.

Surface 30 may be used for a label 40.

The paddle 10 further includes several elastic straps, including two lateral straps 52, 54, a wrist strap 56 and a finger strap 58. The base 12 is provided with a plurality of slits 60 arranged to receive these straps 52-58. It should be noted that there are four sets of slits 60 so that when the strap 58 is inserted in and out of these slits, they form on the back surface 40 of the base 12 in such a manner that a separate loop is provided for each of the three middle fingers of the hand. The individual finger loop design on the back 44 was developed to give all five fingers their own support system. FIGS. 7A-7C show how the paddle 10 is attached to a right hand; and FIG. 7D shows a top view of the paddle on the hand. FIG. 4 shows the paddle 10 with a hand sack 10 on top. Moreover, strap 58 can be rethreaded so that it can skip some of the slits 60.

Paddle 10 can train players to hold their hand flat during play, as illustrated in FIG. 4 and/or to train a players hand to be in various known positions (such as the “Lotus Position” used frequently when playing bare handed and illustrated in FIG. 6).

The two outer most straps 52, 54 form loops on the right and left sides of the base and are dedicated for the pinky and thumb. The paddle 10 is symmetrical so that it can be worn properly on left or right hands as illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The straps are preferably made elastic so that the straps can be tightened to hold the paddle securely and immovably on the hand. Moreover, the straps are sized to accommodate both childrens' and adults' fingers, while still providing the hand and fingers a full range of mobility.

As previously mentioned, the three middle fingers have individual elastic loops for each finger. Strap 58 may also be provided at its end with additional hook and loop closure means and a D ring 64 to allow players to adjust the strap 58 to their own comfort level. The D ring 64 can be interchanged with a clip system or other pull back/drawstring methods to allow players to secure their hands to the paddle.

The wrist strap 56 is also adjustable to provide a snug fit and prevent the hand sack paddle from slipping off players hands during vigorous use.

While this specific design includes a five finger arrangement, alternate configurations that provide the necessary support and comfort required may be utilized in the design. Further, a glove attachment to the underside 6 of the hand sack paddle to give a player's hands a more secure fit and protection from falling or other players attempting to knock the hand sack off the hand sack paddle can also be integrated into the design.

The hand sack paddle 10 may also be attached to the topside of a players shoes with conventional well-known straps to provide a larger surface area with the friction needed to better catch and throw and hand sack using one's feet.

Players using hand paddle must catch the sack on the topside of the hand sack paddle by absorbing the impact of the sack with no palms allowed at any time, as conventional. However, because of the increased surface area and friction, the hand paddles 10 allow players to catch, cradle, and throw a hand sack while running, jumping, spinning, lunging, or in other full motion positions that would otherwise be too difficult to do at a highly competitive level bare handed. The hand paddle may be used by players while performing tricks or with two or more players to compete 1- on-1 or in teams. Numerous games have been developed to play with a hand sack and hand paddle which would otherwise be very difficult to play bare handed such as Myachi Pong, Myachi Football, Myachi Lax, Myachi Net and others.

Myachi Pong is a game played for points in which two competitors can use a Ping Pong table or any other table or flat smooth surface to compete for points much like traditional Ping Pong. However, instead of hitting a ball over a net, to compete at Myachi Pong players must throw the hand sack onto the table causing it to slide across the surface and past the edge of the table. The receiving player must then catch the hand sack after it has come off the table and throw it back at their opponent in a like fashion, causing the hand sack to slide across the table. Using a net is optional in order to increase the skill level and difficulty. Games are typically played and won by the player to first win 11 or 21 points or as determined by the competitors.

Myachi Football is played like traditional two-hand touch football. Players make teams of two or more, set up end zones, and then must try to score a touchdown by passing the sack to their teammate(s) down the field. The defending team may attempt to intercept or block passes to prevent touchdowns and first downs.

Myachi Lax is played in a fashion similar to lacrosse or hockey. This game can be played 1 on 1 but is best with 2 or more players per team. Goals are set up at opposing ends of the field and the team able to throw the hand sack into the goal is awarded 1 point. Games can be played to a finite point total (i.e.: first to 11) or with timed periods with the team that has scored the most points before time elapses winning the game.

Myachi Net is played in a similar fashion to Volleyball or “Newcomb” in which the hand sack is thrown over a volleyball or badminton type net in order to score points. The serving team throws the hand sack over the net and the receiving team must catch the hand sack and may have up to three total touches per exchange before tossing the hand sack back over the net. A point is won when one team drops the hand sack or throws it into the net or out of bounds during an exchange. Games can be played to 11, 15, 21 or as players choose.

The accompanying drawings only illustrate a hand paddle apparatus, its constituent parts, and method of use. However, other types and styles are possible, and the drawings are not intended to be limiting in that regard. Thus, although the description above and accompanying drawings contains much specificity, the details provided should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiment(s) but merely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiment(s). The drawings and the description are not to be taken as restrictive on the scope of the embodiment(s) and are understood as broad and general teachings in accordance with the present invention. While the present embodiment(s) of the invention have been described using specific terms, such description is for present illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that modifications and variations to such embodiments, including but not limited to the substitutions of equivalent features, materials, or parts, and the reversal of various features thereof, may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A paddle adapted for mounting on the top of a person's hand for manipulating a hand sack, said paddle comprising: a body sized and shaped to fit on top of a person's hand, said body having a generally flat concave top surface with a frictional layer; and a support member attached to the body and arranged to selectively secure the body to the person's hand.
 2. The paddle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said top surface has a non-uniform curvature.
 3. The paddle as set forth in claim 2 wherein said top surface includes a first portion defined by a larger radius and another portion defined by a smaller radius than said first portion.
 4. The paddle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the support member includes a plurality of straps.
 5. A paddle for a playing games comprising: a body sized and shaped to fit on the hand of a person and including a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface being adapted to be mounted on the the hand; and a plurality of straps secured to said body and adapted to secure said body to the top of the hand.
 6. The paddle of claim 5 wherein said straps and said body are sized, shaped and configured to fit selectively on the right and the left hand of a person.
 7. The paddle of claim 5 wherein said straps include a wrist strap for securing the body to the wrist of the hand, first and second lateral straps to secure the body to the thumb and pinkie and a central strap for securing the body to at least one of the middle fingers.
 8. The paddle of claim 7 wherein said central strap and said body cooperate to selective engage all the middle fingers together or one at a time.
 9. The paddle of claim 5 wherein said body includes a plurality of slits sized and arranged to receive said straps.
 10. The paddle of claim 5 wherein said top surface is treated to provide a non-slip surface.
 11. The paddle of claim 5 wherein said body has a generally oval shape with a longitudinal axis.
 12. The paddle of claim 11 wherein said body is symmetrical about said longitudinal axis.
 13. The paddle of claim 5 wherein said top surface has a concave shape.
 14. The paddle of claim 5 wherein said body is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis and includes a first portion generally disposed above the wrist and having a generally flat first portion top surface and a second portion that is generally all and has a second portion that is concave.
 15. The paddle of claim 14 wherein said second portion has a central section with a first radius of curvature and an end section opposite said first portion and having a second radius of curvature larger than said first radius of curvature.
 16. The paddle of claim 15 wherein said radii of curvature are selected to facilitate holding a hand sack in said central portion and then throwing the hand sack away by slipping the hand sack off along the longitudinal axis of the body.
 17. A hand sack paddle comprising: a body with a longitudinal axis having a first section with first section top surface that is relative flat and is sized and shaped to fit above the wrist and a second section including a top surface that is concave and a bottom surface that is convex, said section being continuous with the first section with said top and bottom surfaces approaching each other toward an end of said second section opposite said first section, said body being formed with a first set of slits in said first section and a second set of slits in said second section; a wrist strap threaded through said first said of slits and arranged and constructed to secure said body to the wrist; and a set of finger straps threaded through said second set of slits and constructed and arranged to secure said body to at least some of the fingers with said bottom surface resting on top of the hand.
 18. The hand sack paddle of claim 17 wherein said body includes a depression extending along a substantial portion of said top surface and an insert having a complementary shape to said depression, said insert being made of a friction material and being secured in said depression.
 19. The hand sack paddle of claim 17 further comprising a plurality of holes extending between said top and bottom surfaces.
 20. The hand sack paddle of claim 17 wherein when said body is secured to the hand, the holes are disposed between the fingers of the hand. 